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81 year old invites all to come skating on his 82nd birthday

Local champion skater and Kids Fun Club Coordinator, Stan Bennett, will be celebrating his 82nd birthday by holding a party at Traralgon’s XY, located at the Traralgon Showgrounds, and all are invited.

By Latrobe City - 4th April 2003 - Back to News

Local champion skater and Kids Fun Club Coordinator, Stan Bennett, will be celebrating his 82^nd birthday by holding a party at Traralgon’s XY, located at the Traralgon Showgrounds, and all are invited.

Stan’s birthday party will run in conjunction with the Kids Fun Club on Saturday 12 April with free admission and birthday cake being two highlights of the celebration.

Mr Bennett is a volunteer for Latrobe City, and has run the Kids Fun Club for 15 years, originally starting the club in City of Traralgon days in order to teach children roller-skating skills. The club is now aimed at providing people of all ages with the opportunity to participate in activities, including skating and basketball.

"The Kids Fun Club is for people aged 0 to 100 and we play all sorts of games and activities," Mr Bennett said. "If there are people there who are learning how to skate I can help them learn the basic techniques as well."

Mr Bennett began teaching children to skate when he began his career as a professional skater in 1980. Despite beginning his career later in his life, Mr Bennett had a great passion and talent in skating. During his 6 years as a professional he won 15 medals, including 6 gold medals, plus awards in competitions throughout Australia.

Mr Bennett said that he can thank his grandchildren for his success as a professional skater.

"I used to skate as a boy, but I tended to stumble around a bit. However, it was when my grandchildren came to visit from Melbourne that I noticed they were interested in skating and I wondered if I could still stand on skates," Mr Bennett said.

"I went along to what was called the ‘Bakehouse’ to see if I could still do it, and I got hooked."

Whilst training in Moe, Mr Bennett taught some children skating techniques, free of charge. His following grew over his years as a professional skater, and despite no longer competing, Mr Bennett still teaches 12 to 30 children how to skate every Saturday at the Kids Fun Club.

Latrobe City Mayor, Councillor Graeme Middlemiss, congratulated Mr Bennett on his volunteer work in the community and his remarkable fitness and enthusiasm. "On behalf of the Latrobe community we thank Stan for the remarkable work he has undertaken as a volunteer, and wish him many happy returns and future years of skating," Cr Middlemiss said.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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